The Lion King III: Reign of Peace
by Timek
Summary: Finally, the boundary between the Pridelanders and the Outlanders has broken, and they can both live together in peace. But, when Kiara and Kovu have twin cubs, will this turn out to be a battle for the throne? And who is this other threat that challenges
1. Prologue

**The Lion King III: Reign of Peace**

_A/N: I've not taken the time to study the natural behavior of the species we all know and love; the lion. I like to be as natural as possible with my stories, but this might be a little different this time. I know the basics, thanks to the movie, but beyond that I am ignorant. Please, bear with me and point out anything that might be...wrong. One more thing. I have a tendency to focus heavily on details, no matter the relevance, unfortunately. Please, if you get bored with any point of the story, TELL ME! I need to know when I've gone over-board, since it's nearly impossible for me to find those points._

(This story is my version of a sequel to The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride, meaning that it comes immediately after the movie's completion. I own none of the movie characters, nor a bunch of the settings. Also, some themes and ideas are taken from the movies. They are not mine either.)

Part 1: Healing of Old Wounds

Prologue

The night quickly swallowed the land of the living as a cool darkness swept across the great African savannah. The sun dropped her light below the rigid horizon, and the world began to bathe in darkness. Creatures of all sizes, from the scurrying mouse to the leaping antelope, found shelter from the dangers of the night among the tall, browning grasses, beneath rock formations which protected from breezy winds, or anywhere else that could provide sufficient safety. The activity of the day hushed as night came about with the world resting in a haunting silence. Even the air itself ceased to move, and the tall grasses slept without disturbance.

The only light shed upon this motionless landscape came from the inky sky above. Though clouds shedding a glow of violet scattered across the sky, crystal light twinkling from distant stars broke through the shelter, and spread remnants of their light upon the Earth. The Kings kept their eyes open this night, but with obscured vision.

Later on into the night, the clouds began to swell with excess precipitation. All the light from the beyond found shelter behind these dark clouds, and the Kings' vision was cut off from their people. A soft patter of rain fell from the clouds, and the ground greedily absorbed it.

Among the tall grasses, at the base of a towering umbrella tree, a howl of pain from a lion broke into the air. Frightened, birds nesting nearby spread their wings and bolted from the scene. A claw, with blades from a sharpened dagger, rose from behind the tall stalks of grass. It struck downward, pounding against the face of a young, handsome lion just growing out of the stage of adolescence. He spun around slightly in the air, and was thrown into a clearing where the tall grasses ceased to grow. The ground beneath him was hard rock, reddened by the constantly-beating sun.

The head of the young lion drooped in weariness and pain, hovering just above the ground. Blood from deep wounds spread across his body matted the fur and, as it dried, it turned uncomfortably crusty. His body stood with a heavy limp in the back left leg, and his body shook with the intense pain, and nearly collapsed to the ground.

"Father, please," he begged in a raspy, pained tone, "stop this."

The other lion stepped out of the tall grasses, a grin spread across his face. The darkness hid all his other features. The rain from above began to beat more heavily against the ground.

"I will stop only when you're leaning over the cliff to death. When you can barely hang onto this life," A chilling voice replied to his son's pleas.

The young lion struggled to remain standing. Still, his eyes, red with blood, focused on the figure approaching.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

The older lion's brow curled with anger, "You dare question me! My plan is flawless, and I will finally be able to get my revenge! Would you keep me from this victory and return me to the world I left behind?"

"No, I-"

The young lion was interrupted by a slash to his face. The blood shed blinded him in red, adding to what blood was already swimming in his eyes. Again, he voiced a howl of pain. When he crashed to the ground, small, loose pebbles pushed into his wounds, adding to his pain. This time, he couldn't stand up.

"Trust me..."

_A/N: Well, there you have it! The prologue! This here is just a little taste of the plot I'll be writing. No specific characters yet...just these two. Do you like my style? Or is it boring and long...and just plain terrible? Please, let me know! I want to please as many people, fans I must say, as I can!_


	2. Chapter 1: Broken Unity

**Chapter 1-Broken Unity**

_A/N: I was working on this chapter for quite some time, trying to capture the proper emotion. It was hard, since I have never felt the way that Kiara and Kovu do. It made me think about how much I am missing in life. Enjoy! I loved writing this chapter!_

High and distant in the great sapphire sky rose the sun, illuminating a surge of intense heat and blinding white light over the great African savannah. Exposed rock, dotted with the remnants of a crimson metal, baked beneath the warmth, and seemed to boil like a blistering hot liquid. But despite the fact that the sun dropped its' deadly golden rays to the ground, the land was covered with short, shrub-like greenery and the occasional umbrella tree, stretching its' wings high into the sky. This was the Pridelands, a place where the lions and lionesses roamed free, under the watchful eye of their king and queen, Simba and Nala.

From a rock formation, standing tall and proud over the vast expanse of the savannah, the sound of strong voices could be heard. Four creatures, two lions and two lionesses, rose their muzzles high into the pale blue sky, their voices erupting loudly across the rough landscape surrounding them. In unison, voices from fellow lionesses overpowered that of the royalties and even the loose stones shook with the vibration. A battle, once thought to be impossible to overcome, had come to an end, and the unity of the Pridelands and the Outlands was to be proclaimed.

The four lions, born or accepted into royalty and standing elevated on the finger of Pride Rock, called out to their subjects below. In response, the lionesses standing at ground-level, both Pridelanders and Outlanders, roared their acceptance of the new alliance. Across the savannah, where the voices of the lions still held sufficient strength, other creatures heard and rejoiced about the new pact. This day was certainly one to be remembered in the hearts of all.

With eyes glowing in sheer excitement, Kiara looked up into the eyes of her mate and closest friend, Kovu, which shared the same emotion. A heated feeling rushed through her as she stared up into his large, loving eyes, and couldn't help but smile.

"We did it," she whispered, but was almost completely overpowered by the shouts of acclamation sounding from the lionesses below.

Kovu smiled warmly at hearing Kiara's sweet voice, "Yes, we did, my love."

Kiara's smile stretched even wider as she shifted her body closer to Kovu's, closing the gap of space beneath them. She rested her head against Kovu's cheek, purring calmly. His fur felt like cotton against her own, and she was drawn into a world of soft love with the one she cared for most. She brushed against him, feeling his soft fur and the hard muscle encased by it and another feeling ran through her. She didn't want to leave this world that she and Kovu had made together. It was just too precious to lose. She wouldn't give their bond together away for anything in this world and, as she felt Kovu nuzzle her back with his own love, she knew he wouldn't either. A soft kiss, planted with love against the cheek angled away from her parents' eyes, drew her closer to Kovu.

After bathing in her fantasy for what seemed like only a few seconds, a nudge drew Kiara away. It was her mother, Nala, who looked at her with a wide smile of her own.

"Kiara. Kovu. We have matters we need to attend to," She voiced softly.

Though Kiara didn't want to leave the comfort Kovu offered her, she stood and broke the contact between them. To her, it felt as if she was being torn apart, like a bolt of lightning striking through the trunk of the beloved umbrella tree she shaded beneath on warm days. She descended the finger of Pride Rock, following her mother into the cave. She glanced back at Kovu, absorbing his handsome figure before entering the shadow of the sleeping cave.

As she stepped beneath the rocky roof of the cave, Kiara heard Timon state, "Well, congratulations! Another dozen of hungry lioness's that can drool over my buddy, Pumbaa, over here!"

A grunt of displeasure echoed through the cave, from the same direction that Timon's voice came from.

Simba, Kiara's father, laughed with amusement, "You know that nobody here will allow them to eat either of you. You're safe."

"Maybe during the daytime. But when night falls, our bones will be added to the pile of antelope bones right over there! I know they will!"

"If it makes you feel better, you can come sleep over here, just like we used to. Nobody would dare attack you in the midst of the King, Queen, Princess and Prince," Simba suggested.

Satisfied, Timon said, "Fine." Then added beneath his breath, "Carnivores, sheesh. You can never trust them!"

Kiara and Kovu now trotted closely behind Nala, to where Simba was patiently waiting for them.

"Kiara, Kovu, you're here," Simba began, "Good. Before the ceremony today, Vitani approached me with a problem that we need to deal with. Since the Outlanders have just moved in with us, they don't know the lay of the land very well. Some capable lionesses will need to act as capable tour guides for them, to show them where the herds graze and where the watering hole is. We need to find someone who is willing to help them."

Nala stated, almost immediately after Simba finished speaking, "Kiara, would you and Kovu volunteer to show them around the Pridelands?

"Nala, you can't be thinking-!" Simba protested. His brow curled downward, in what seemed to be anger. But Kiara knew that her father was only trying to protect her.

Nala remained calm, and maintained her controlled volume of tongue, "Simba, have faith in your daughter and her Prince."

"But you know what they could do to her, when she's so vulnerable."

"Think about this logically, Simba," Nala said, "Kiara, to them, is as much of a blood relative as Kovu is. She's like one of them.

"They trust Kovu with their lives. They trust that Kovu made the right decision to take our daughter as his mate and to bring our kinds to live together. If Kovu accepts her as a lioness to be trusted, then they will too. Kiara is safe in their paws, Simba."

As Nala finished speaking, Kovu voiced his opinion, "The Outlanders won't raise a paw to anyone without the command of their leader. That leader, Simba, would be you and Nala. I've been raised as an Outlander myself, the same way, if not harder, than every one that rose their voices today and proclaimed you as king. We were strictly taught the importance of loyalty to the Royal Family. They are the ones that keep us strong and alive, and in return, we offer you complete loyalty. Unless their life is threatened with no justified reason, they will not attack any of you."

Simba grunted, but Kiara knew that he wasn't convinced, "Kovu, you speak as if you followed that rule perfectly. But aren't you the one that betrayed your pride?"

Kovu closed his eyes, as if hurt by the memory of his past. "I did that because I realized that mother was wrong. The sun began to shine upon me when Kiara brought me out from underneath her paw of foolish obsession of revenge."

"How do you know they won't do the same thing to us? Betray us for some reason they think is right?"

"If they didn't think that peace with the Pridelanders was right, then we'd have more lionesses dead than just my mother. They joined with you because they saw that mother's ways were wrong."

Kovu moved closer to Kiara and nuzzled her, "They realized the same thing that I did when I fell in love with Kiara. If they wanted to hurt any one of you, then they would have done it during the battle."

Simba sighed, "But you were trained to fight all your life. Your kind is violent."

"Have you seen me hurt Kiara yet?" Kovu asked, "I've devoted my soul to her. If a claw scratched her fair and beautiful body, I would feel it just as much as she would. Their souls are devoted to you. They share your pain, and will feel it whenever you do. They won't harm any one of you."

"Fine," Simba said with disapproval clear in his voice, "you two can show them around the Pridelands. But you must promise me that you will take four other Pridelander lionesses with you."

Kovu and Kiara nodded. There was no sense in arguing further.

"The sun is getting low tonight. There is no sense in you starting when you will be returning only partway through the tour. Our lionesses will hunt for everyone tonight, then you can begin tomorrow at sun-up."

Kiara stood up and walked toward her father and brushed her head through his thick mane. Individual strands of hair tickled her neck as they fell. "Yes, father."

With Kovu, Kiara departed the sleeping cave. At the mouth, Kovu turned around and met Simba's eyes, which were following him.

With a wide smile, Kovu reassured, "Remember, Simba, that the Outlanders are your allies now, not your enemies."

"Your father doesn't trust my kind very much, does he?" Kovu asked, laying his body on a sun-baked stone. Grasses, standing tall but crusty and brown, rose in a ring around the stone. With one his left paw, he swatted at them like a cub. His other paw pressed softly against Kiara's, who was sitting beside him.

Kiara stared down at Kovu with a smile, and said, "He still think about Scar when he looks at the Outlanders. To him, your kind represents the pain that Scar gave him. It's only natural for him to still hold hatred for the one that killed their father, and almost my father himself. That hatred has blinded him from seeing that, without Scar or Zira leading you, you are just as peaceful as we are.

"Not only that, but he's overprotective of me. He tries to keep me in his sight at every time of the day. He doesn't think that I can be trusted to take care of myself, to protect my self from any possible threat. When it was time for my very first hunt, I thought that my father's promise to finally be allowed to do something on my own meant that he had some faith in my. I was disappointed when he broke his promise and sent Timon and Pumbaa to keep an eye on me. I went to the Outlands to hunt alone.

"That was when the fire caught up with me, and when you saved my life. We had such a dramatic reunion, didn't we?"

Kovu ignored Kiara's question and went on to tell his own side of the story, "I'm sorry that my mother put your life at risk to fulfil her foolish ambitions."

Kiara's smile faded away, and a serious expression etched into her facial features. Kovu sat up and turned his head to look directly into her eyes. His eyes were swimming with sadness.

"What do you mean?" Kiara asked.

"It was all a plot to-" Kovu sighed "-kill your father. I was a part of it, but I didn't want to be! Not after I fell in love with you. Vitani and Nuka set the savannah ablaze in an attempt to catch you in it. That worked, and I was to save you. Which I did. By saving you, I would be able to gain admittance into your pride, and I would have a chance to kill your father, like my mother wanted. But when I fell in love with you, I intentionally ignored my responsibility to kill your father.

"I did something that was worthy of death within my pride. I betrayed my king and queen, for the love that you gave me. I guess that, when you've never felt the power of love before, it can make you do anything."

As she listened to Kovu's story, Kiara's eyes widened with surprise. Her father had been right. Back then, she was being used as a path for the Outlanders to get to her father.

She managed to silently whisper Kovu a question, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Kovu broke his gaze with Kiara and stared down at his paws, "I tried to. Really, I did. But your father got to me first, to talk to me, and that was when he was attacked by my mother and her pride. I was banished after that. Remember?"

"I remember."

Kovu lowered his voice and Kiara could hardly hear what he was saying, "After that, I thought that it was all over. I thought that you and I would be separated forever. You would hear that I had betrayed your father to my mother, and you would hate me forever."

Kovu looked back at Kiara and a warm smile of love stretched across his face. The happiness was contagious, and she smiled with him.

He nipped at her ear, then said, "But I underestimated the power of love then. You came after me, despite what you were told. You brought us together again, as one, and we created what we have now. A perfect unity of our two prides."

Kovu giggled childishly and stared deep into Kiara's hazel eyes, "I don't think I can ever underestimate your love again."

He gently pounced on Kiara and pushed her to the ground. A number of dying strands of grass snapped beneath the sudden pressure. Kovu brushed against Kiara's soft neck and she responded with a passionate kiss to his cheek. To Kovu, her kiss felt like the core of all happiness. After a lengthy period of time, of exchanging the sight, scent, touch and taste of the other, Kovu stepped off of Kiara and lay beside her, with his head resting across her upper chest and arm across her soft waist. His tail ran along the soft curves of her leg, following the direction of her fur.

As he lay silently with Kiara at his side, Kovu thought about his love for her. Just recently he'd almost lost her, and it felt as if his heart, what he'd known of love, had been stolen away from him. Kiara was the only lioness that he had ever loved, and the only lioness that had ever loved him. To him, their relationship was the most precious possession, the thing that he held closest to his heart. To have the only good thing he had torn away from him left him a wreck.

To have Kiara come back to him made him value her and her love more than he had done before. He would never give her up for anything in the world. He would sacrifice his own life for hers, if the need ever came.

Kiara's soft, sweet voice interrupted Kovu's thinking, "Kovu, I love you. I just wish that Daddy could see that you and your family are not a danger to us."

She kissed him on his ear. It tickled, and twitched his ear. Kiara giggled.

"I love you, too, Kiara," Kovu whispered passionately, "and I wish the same thing. I should introduce you to our lionesses. You can see first-hand how loyal and trustworthy they really are."

Kovu pushed himself off of Kiara and began walking back toward Pride Rock. Kiara caught up in a short sprint, and they walked together, giggling.

_A/N: I never wanted to stop writing this. I felt completely thrust into my writing, my soul and all, and I just couldn't_ _stop. Even with the homework I need to finish. I wish that I didn't need to worry about school, and I could just do this all day. Wouldn't that be wonderful? Originally I was going to combine this chapter with the next, but that would take too long. I didn't want you to wait to read this! I might still combine the two chapters, I don't know._


	3. Chapter 2: Fighting with Oneself

**Chapter 2- Fighting with Oneself**

_A/N: Okay...so here's the second chapter. It's got a little bit of depth to it, with the introduction of a few new characters, and re-introduction of another. The end of this chapter is going to be an important part of the story. I'm still not sure I should really combine chapter 1 and 2. What do you think?_

The sun was beginning to fall to the horizon, it's golden rays transforming into a mystical blush of soft pink and red stretching in strokes painted beneath the scattered cloud cover. The harsh light was fading away and, in a few short hours, light would succumb to the forces of night. Even the intense heat was gradually falling into a desolate pit of what seemed to be the coldest night of winter. But some warmth still remained, for the present hours of the fading sunlight.

Beneath the outstretched finger of Pride Rock, a group of nearly twelve lionesses lazed around in the shadows. Some wrestled with each other, nipping playfully at another lioness' ear, while other simply rested their bodies on the cool soil, chatting with one another. For the first time in what seemed to be years, smiles stretched across every lioness' face.

"I was so surprised when Kovu and Kiara jumped into the battle, between Zira and King Simba yesterday. To interrupt a battle of the Royals is criminal among every pride living," a lioness by the name of Jenza stated. Her sapphire eyes darted between the two pairs of eyes watching her, Vitani's and Coigne's.

"You're not the only one that was surprised, Jenza," Vitani commented, "But they are both Royals as well. Kovu, for the Outlanders, and Kiara, for us. They have the power to intervene with such issues."

Coigne said, only the left part of her mouth moving to form her words due to a paralytic disability with her mouth, "It was still a surprise. Kovu and Kiara were nowhere to be found before or during the battle. That bird, Zazu, was looking for them the whole time, and even he didn't know where they were."

The three lionesses fell silent and rested their muzzles on their paws. The battle between the two forces stole every ounce of their energy, and they desperately needed to rest. It was nice to finally have time to relax their bodies like this. When Zira ruled them, they trained from dawn till dusk, working their bodies to their limits to please her. To all the Outlander lionesses, this rest was luxury.

After a few long minutes, Jenza finally spoke, "Vitani, it must have been difficult for you to-", she paused, "abandon your mother. How did you ever manage to get yourself to join with them?"

"Kiara was right. When I looked at both her and Kovu, I saw something beautiful between them. I lived with Kovu for my whole life, and I knew him unlike anyone else. He was nice, but there was something different about him that day, when he stood with Kiara, trying to stop us. He had changed. I didn't know what it was at the time but, when he stared directly into my eyes, I knew. It was love-his love for Kiara. I don't know how, or why, but when I understood, I didn't want to tear that love apart by killing them both." Vitani said without any regret."None of us has ever felt love before. Maybe now we have the chance."

Coigne said, awestruck, "That's...amazing."

Without being noticed, Kovu and Kiara trotted across the open savannah and to where the former Outlander lionesses were resting. They playfully nudged at each other as they came closer to the shadow cast beneath the finger of Pride Rock. However, when Kiara stumbled and fell, emitting a discomforting grunt, Vitani, Jenza and Coigne glanced over.

"Quite a clumsy Princess we've got here," Jenza commented as Kovu and Kiara seated themselves with the trio. "You should always keep yourself well coordinated, Kiara. Especially when fighting a male lion. If you're clumsy and fall when in war, you are at the mercy of your foe."

"Oh," Kiara said, her cheeks embellished with a slight hue of red, "I'm sorry...What's your name?"

"Jenza, my Princess. At your service at any time of day, no matter the situation; your faithful and loyal servant," Jenza said, bowing her head to the ground respectfully, her eyes staring downward.

"And my name is Coigne. At your service at any time of day, no matter the situation; your faithful and loyal servant," Coigne repeated, copying the same actions Jenza had done.

"You know who I am, Princess. Vitani, former Princess of the Outlander pride, at your service at any time of day, no matter the situation; your faithful and loyal servant." Vitani said, copying her partners.

They sat in the same position for several moments, waiting for a command. Kovu sighed. How was Kiara supposed to know what to do?

"You may rise, my children." Kovu commanded. All three did as he asked and lifted their heads.

"Is there something that you would like to tell us?" Vitani asked, staring into her brother's emerald eyes. Somehow, she could see the love Kovu had for Kiara in them. A shiver shook down her spine.

"Yes, there is." Kovu said, "We would ask that you accompany us on a tour of the Pridelands tomorrow morning, at the rise of the sun. We will show you the watering hole, the best hunting areas, and the trails that the herds follow. Four other Pridelander lionesses will join us, as well."

A frown dropped on Vitani's face, "Four other lionesses? Simba doesn't trust us with your lives, does he?"

Grimly, Kiara answered, "Hardly. He still doesn't think that accepting you into the pride was a good idea."

"That's a pity," Vitani said, "It will be hard to live with him until he learns to trust us."

Jenza joined in on the conversation, "We are all honored to be given this offer. We accept it willingly, and will join you in this tour of the Pridelands. We will get all the other lionesses together and be ready to depart before the sun rises tomorrow morning."

"Thank you." Kiara said and bowed to the three lionesses before her.

The trio frowned. A Royal never bows to one of a lower class than herself.

Before departing, Kiara glanced over to the west, checking on the sun's position. The sun was still hovering above the horizon, and the sky was only beginning to fade into a deeper hue of purple. In the distance, the sun's rays beat harshly against the barren rock formations scattered across the horizon, creating a glow of intense crimson and gold. It would still be an entire hour until the sun set.

But that didn't matter to her. She wanted to "fall asleep" with Kovu every moment of the day. It would be nice to have some time alone together before the crowd of lionesses, and her father, came to invade their privacy. She wanted to be with him for eternity, swimming with him in a pond of their fantasies. What could possibly be better?

Kovu and Kiara turned and walked away from the group of lionesses. They walked in the dark shadow cast by the great finger of Pride Rock, following it to the base. When an outcropping in the rock hid them from the Outlander lionesses, Kiara stopped and turned around to watch Kovu as he came to a halt a shoulder-length away from her.

"Kovu," Kiara said quietly, "the day is coming to an end. Should we-" She smiled awkwardly, "get some rest?"

Kovu replied, "Kiara, the sun is still-" He stopped speaking when Kiara pressed her moist nose lightly against his cheek. She felt so comforting...

"Please?" Kiara said, sweetly, and gently nudged Kovu.

Kiara's bright and beautiful eyes made him smile. How could he say no? "Alright," he said, "but we can't do this all the time. Being Prince and Princess of the pride comes with its' responsibilities."

Shoulder-to-shoulder, Kiara and Kovu stepped up onto the rocky stair-like structure leading to the sleeping caves carved into the thick, burnt red stone. In sync, they stepped to a higher elevation together, up the rock, as if they were one.

They stepped into the shadow of the cave. Their eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness and, with a quick glance, saw that no other lion was resting here. _They must all have gone hunting..., _Kiara concluded. With a slight bounce in her stride, Kiara walked along the sloped ground, down towards the back of the cave, with Kovu following. As they descended, the temperature fell to a cool but still comfortable level.

At the back of the cave, where short, pale green mosses grew with a minimal supply of water, Kiara seated herself. The cold stone wall passed it's heat to Kiara, which caused her to shiver as she leaned back in luxury. When Kovu positioned himself between Kiara's arms, resting his body against her soft stomach, his transfer of body heat eliminated her shiver. He made her flush with a comforting heat.

The two of them just laid there, comforted in the arms of one-another, watching the time pass. They watched as the sky outside the cave transformed from a soft light pink to a bloody red, clawing closer and closer to the heart of day. But, to them, the brilliant sky had not once come close to the beauty of one-another.

After their speech through contact, Kovu finally vocalized, with tension, "Kiara, for the first time in what seems to be forever, I was scared."

Kiara turned her head and looked into his eyes.

Kovu diverted his eyes from hers.

"It was yesterday, when we were facing my mother," Kovu whispered, "when you jumped off the cliff. I had the urge to jump off after you, but I couldn't. I was afraid. To jump off, and for you. I was surrounded by an unbearable confusion.

"It was then when all of the memories I had of us came flashing in front of my eyes. The times when I trained you with my knowledge, and when we were alone, staring up at the stars and the night before, when we found each other again-through the bond of love. Those could have been the final memories I had of you. If you'd have fallen too..." He paused, pain-stricken.

Kiara smiled and snuggled closer to him, "Kovu, those times are over now. We don't need to worry about those things-dangerous things- anymore. Think about the future. About how many more experiences and memories we will share together. We'll be together forever, Kovu."

A smile broke onto Kovu's face once again, and he stretched his tongue to touch Kiara's cheek. "I love you, Kiara."

At that very moment, a disturbance occurred at the cave's mouth. Two Outlander lionesses fought over a piece of meat as they stepped out of the dying sunlight and into the cave's shadow.

Kiara and Kovu struggled to separate from one another. They got caught within themselves, tripping over a stray leg sprawled in an awkward position. Kovu released a yelp as Kiara accidentally stepped on his tail. Eventually they emerged free of their tangle, and giggled sweetly. Fortunately for them, the two lionesses seemed not to notice as they continued to fight over the morsel of meat.

Simba emerged from behind the two fighting lionesses. Just before one lioness batted the other on the head with a revealed claw, Simba's came down upon the meat and split it. The two females had their share of meat. Together, they bowed to their king.

Simba trotted to the back of the cave where Kiara and Kovu were sitting and shot his daughter a cold glance. He passed by his daughter without muttering a single word, like he used to before Kovu came back into her life. _Why can't he just accept that Kovu and I are together?_ Kiara thought to herself. She sighed.

All the other lionesses from the pride, both Pridelander and Outlander, herded into the sleeping cave after Simba. The two groups chatted amongst themselves, and hardly seemed to notice the other group. All the voices echoed in a messed up jumble of sound and no single word was easily distinguishable. Kiara and Kovu were no longer alone.

Then, following behind the large group of noisy lionesses, Kiara's mother, Nala, and two other Outlander lionesses dragged three large antelope carcasses into the cave. The soft underside of each one's neck opened to the air, where the killing blow had been struck. The fur of the carcasses looked to be fairly dirty and torn from the trip from the savannah to the cave. Nala and the other lionesses brought the dead bodies to where the Outlanders stood at the back of the cave and dropped it on the floor. Immediately afterwards, the two of the delivering lionesses, excluding Nala, retreated to the group of Pridelanders still chatting with a shallow happiness at the cave's mouth.

Vitani walked out of the Outlander crowd and toward Nala, her head lowered in respect, "I'm sorry we had to put this burden on you, my Queen. I pray that you had no difficulty?"

"Vitani, rise your head," Nala said, smiling, "We had no trouble. We're glad that you and the other Outlanders can be here with us."

"Thank you, my Queen."

Nala walked away and headed towards Simba, who was eyeing them all distrustfully. His gaze only intensified as Nala turned her back to them. As he'd said before, never turn your back on an Outsider. They can't be trusted.

Vitani rose her head to look over at Kovu and Kiara, who were sitting not far away.

"Kovu, Kiara, I think you deserve the finest meat on these carcasses. You should be the first to feed." She said.

Neither Kovu nor Kiara hesitated and both paced their way to the awaiting Outlander lionesses. As she approached with her mate, Kiara began to feel an increasing nervousness slip between the barrier of trust that created a boundary in her mind for this group. As any good Royal, however, Kiara masked this emotion with a blank face. She was able to keep pace with Kovu and stopped to stand before the carcass of the mammal, the other lionesses forming a half-circle around her and Kovu.

As Kiara lowered her head to take the first bite from the carcass, she started feeling afraid. The eyes of at least a dozen lionesses, all of whom had just recently been dangerous enemies, could be staring lustfully down at the back of her revealed neck. If these lionesses weren't completely loyal to their alliance, this could be the very last breath that Kiara breathed in the presence of her beloved...

"Ouch!" Kiara cried in pain. Surprised, she could clearly taste her own sweet blood in her mouth.

Kovu snapped his head up from the carcass with a strand of torn meat hanging out of his mouth, just as Simba came racing across the entire cave with a greatly concerned expression with Nala coming soon after, expressing with less concern and trotting slowly, and stood at a distance to watch. Just as Kiara's gagging had peaked, Simba stopped beside his daughter. He looked forward to the semi-circle of Outlander lionesses with a glare that could kill the guilty. But each one of them held pure innocence in their eyes, and all looked to be confused at what to do.

With one great big final heave of breath, she vomited a bone, sharp like the point of Pride Rock. Blood from Kiara's throat dotted the point of the bone, and yet a small amount transferred to the dirt as it clattered to the ground.

Still, Kiara smiled and said, "Sorry, I accidentally swallowed a bone. I'm fine."

The tension in everyone's face seemed to ease as she spoke her words of reassurance. Surprisingly, it was Kovu who seemed to be most relieved, not Simba. He nuzzled Kiara just beneath her ear and the two of them stepped back to allow the Outlanders to feed. It was now that Kovu swallowed the tendon of meat dangling from his mouth.

When Kovu and Kiara stood watching a fair distance away, all of the Outlanders pounced on the three lifeless antelope carcasses, tearing them apart until they were unidentifiable.

While the Outlanders devoured their meal, the Pridelanders looked upon them with disgust from the other side of the cave. All their chatting had ceased as the very first bite into one of the antelope. They had all turned their heads, eyes narrowing, to see their disgusting feeding methods. No Pridelander liked the way that they mercilessly bit and slashed at the carcasses. No Pridelander liked the way that every lioness fought over the delicious parts of the antelope. They didn't like any part of the Outlander's eating habits.

However, Kovu and Kiara felt none of this. Instead, they felt only love and compassion for their counterparts. Being raised as an Outlander, Kovu was forced to grow in and accept this lifestyle of recklessness. But Kiara grew to accept them for who they are. She realized that it wasn't the Outlander lioness' fault that their teachers were careless and cruel; living for only one purpose: To take over the Pridelands. She'd given them another chance, and now Kiara hopes that the rest of her Pride can do the same.

The Outlanders had quickly devoured their meal and, when finished, spread out through their half of the cave and comfortably laid their bodies down on the dirt while they digested. Again, a tension of caution rose among the two groups as conversation again began sprouting among the lionesses. As time passed, everything seemed to progress just as it had the rest of the day.

But not everything was as golden as it seemed. Among the two groups, only two lionesses, one from each pride, made contact with each other. But the contact wasn't a positive experience. Nobody had noticed that Jenza was slowly inching toward one of the Pridelander lionesses, who kept her wary eyes locked on the approaching female. When Jenza came dangerously close to the Pridelander, the Pridelander hastily got to her feet and bared her teeth.

Seconds later, Jenza charged. The two lionesses clashed with a force of aggression and hate towards one another. Jaws and paws scrambled to make contact, and the two of them fought a heated battle. Luckily, however, it was Kovu and Kiara who reached the fight first and, somehow, were able to get between the two lionesses. Kovu faced Jenza and Kiara faced the Pridelander.

"Jenza, what's wrong with you?" Kovu growled, "You know better than to attack someone of your own pride!"

"She," Jenza replied harshly, growling as she spoke which made her words nearly ununderstandable, "is not one of our own, Kovu! She's a filthy Pridelander!"

The two lionesses growled loudly at each other and, by this time, everyone in the cave was staring at the scene playing out before their eyes.

Kovu stared directly into Jenza's eyes, "Jenza, I know that wasn't your initiative to engage in a fight. I've grown up with you, you're too blind for hate. It's always been something physical that makes you thirst for a fight."

She snarled again, but this time at the insult, "Those hideous eyes have been staring at me all night. They were filled with hate. Even I could see that much. I had to do something to teach her proper manners!"

Kovu simply nodded and Kiara rose her voice above the snarling, "Starlight, is this true?"

"I was watching her, yes. But I didn't hate her. Not then, at least." The lioness named Starlight said, "I wanted to try and figure the Outlanders out. If we're going to be living with them, we'll need to figure them out first. Now I realize that it'll be impossible to live comfortably with those _creatures_!"

The two of them roared even louder at one another.

"Silence!" Kovu shouted, and they both fell to silence, "I don't want to see either of you fighting one another ever again. Got it? And if I do, you'll both be sleeping alone on the savannah, never to set eyes on Pride Rock ever again."

This comment got both the Pridelanders and the Outlanders whispering in frightened tones. It wouldn't be easy to live alone on the savannah after being exiled from Pride Rock.

Kiara spoke over the whispers, "We'd all better get some sleep now. Tomorrow will be a big day for many of us, and we need our energy."

Nobody complained. The sun had set a while ago and everyone was beginning to feel tired. While the Outlanders filed out of the sleeping cave, the Pridelanders spread apart further to their usual spots. Jenza stole one last glance at Starlight before stepping out of the cave.

Kovu dropped his head heavily on Kiara's shoulder, who was now sitting down, watching the Outlanders leave. The argument he just had with one of his best childhood friends had left him exhausted. Kiara inched closer to Kovu and wrapped her tail around the back of Kovu's waist, comforting him.

But if the two of them thought that this would be the final chapter of their day, they were sadly mistaken. Nala slowly trotted towards the couple.

"Kiara, Kovu, could I please speak to the two of you before you go to sleep for the night? I want to talk to you about certain matters, and I don't think it should wait," Nala said, looking at the two of them in turn.

Without hesitating, Kiara and Kovu both followed Nala out of the cave to a world underneath the band of the starry night sky.

_A/N: And here you go. Chapter 2! I really had a fun time writing this chapter. All these different connections to the characters and the plot-the feeling was just too lovely to imagine! What did you readers think about it? And...do you think I should combine chapter 1 and 2? Or are they too different now? Please, review! _


	4. Chapter 3: Greatest Fears

**Chapter 3- Greatest Fears**

_Originally, this part of the story wasn't even intended to be a chapter. It was supposed to be the beginning of the "tour" chapter, which comes after this...of course. I was able to make it relevant enough to put it into a whole chapter. It probably won't be too long._

Stars illuminated the great savannah with a dazzling glow of silver light. With this spectacular show of light, unhindered by the common smoke and fog, the sky shone a unique blend of deep violet to a shade of oceanic blue. Even the dew that began settling amongst the tall savannah grasses reflected the sky's utter brilliance.

As Nala stepped outside the sleeping cave, closely followed by Kiara and Kovu, she could easily feel the significant drop in temperature. Her eyes stared down at the rocky ground beneath her feet, which still emitted some heat from the burning rays of the sun which fell only hours previously, and carefully searched for the staircase-like structure jutting out of the side of Pride Rock's finger. She found it in the dim starlight and began her descent downward.

As the cold air swept past Kiara and Kovu, the two of them huddled together in an attempt to prevent themselves from shivering. Indeed, they did prevent themselves from shivering, but their sweet laughter made them careless. Instead of keeping their eyes on the ground right in front of them, they stared at one another, the bright moon glowing beautifully in their eyes. But when Kiara followed her mother off of Pride Rock, she misplaced her footing and bumped into Kovu.

When Nala heard the commotion behind her, she quickly spun around to see the two youngsters picking themselves up from their incident. Her heart dropped as she saw the couple scuffling around gently with one another. She missed feeling careless in her love for Simba. With the role of King and Queen of Pride Rock, the little time they had to feel this way about one another had been stolen by their responsibilities. She sighed and forced a smile upon her face. At least Kiara could feel this way for a long time before taking up her responsibilities...

Tired roars and grunts suddenly lifted into the night sky nearby, where the platform of Pride Rock connected to the main rock. The Outlanders were preparing for a night of dreams and fantasies, in a world completely their own.

As the trio continued walking further out onto the savannah, Pride Rock growing smaller in the distance, not a single word was passed between anyone. It wasn't until they were a fair distance away from Pride Rock that Nala stopped, to speak to Kiara and her betrothed privately in the tall savannah grass. They sat in a triangular formation with Kiara and Kovu beside one another and Nala opposite.

"Kiara, Kovu," began Nala, "you did well to resolve that scuffle we had in the cave. If you keep order like that, Pride Rock will have another set of a good King and Queen."

Both Kovu and Kiara smiled. They couldn't see Nala drop her head slightly with a worried expression on her face in the haze of night.

The discussion became serious as Nala said, "But I'm afraid that won't be enough to stop events from happening if something like what happened this evening occurs again."

Nala straightened her back and continued to speak again, "Simba doesn't trust the former Outsiders at all. He might have seemed glad to accept them into our Pride at first, but now I'm sure that he's regretting it. You see, the Outsiders are a living example of what his brother, Scar, used to be like when we were younger. In his eyes, they still seem to be cunning villains. Simba has not forgiven his uncle for killing his father and almost killing him, as you could probably expect."

Nala took a pause, but she wasn't yet done speaking.

"My fear is that, if something happens between the former Outlanders and former Pridelanders again, Simba's hatred will get the best of him. Even now he's making irrational decisions because of it. I'd prefer to gain respect with the Outlanders by sending just the two of you to guide the hunt tomorrow, but Simba refuses.

"I have no doubt that he will exile every Outlander that is a part of our Pride when his mind is completely shrouded by his hatred. He'll do it to protect the lives of the Pridelanders, if he thinks that our lives are in danger."

It was Kiara who spoke in reply, "But mum, you're the Queen of our Pride. Couldn't you do something to stop him?"

"When Simba is dedicated to his decision, he'll pull through with it no matter what. Kiara, you know that better than anyone. He's babied you all your life because he decided that you were too precious a jewel to lose. I tried telling him to give you more freedom, but he didn't listen. Even when he banished Kovu, you tried to get him to reconsider his decision, and again he wouldn't listen." Nala stated, "I can't do anything if he decides to exile our friends."

"If what you say is true, that Simba will exile all of my kind, then this spells certain disaster for both of our prides." Kovu said, fear ringing through his voice, "As I've told you before, we Outlanders were trained to be loyal to the Royals until the very end. I can see that they are still following this old law of ours. If they're thrown out of the pride for something they don't think would cause the King any offence, they'll most likely consider it a form of treachery. They will take it as an offence, which will provide a spark for the hatred they had before we joined together.

"My guess is that the hatred between our two prides will be greater than it was when Zira was the Queen of the Outlanders."

An awkward silence passed between the three lions while the peaceful sounds of the African nightlife took over.

After a short period of time, Nala said, "I think it would be best for the two of you to talk to Vitani about it tomorrow when you're guiding the Outlanders around the Pridelands. I'll do whatever I can to help you two if you need it. It's getting late now, so I'm going back to Pride Rock for some sleep."

Nala stood up and slowly began walking towards Pride Rock, which was glowing in the moonlight. She turned back around not too far away from where Kiara and Kovu sat.

"Are you two coming?" She asked.

Kiara looked at Kovu, who shook his head and said, "We'll stay out here a little while longer."

Nala smiled and turned away, continuing back to Pride Rock. Kovu and Kiara watched as she disappeared into the darkness, their bodies nearly motionless except for the movement they made to wrap their tails around one another.

"We've got ourselves a problem here," Kiara said, dropping her head onto her paws and sighed, exhausted.

Kovu gently rested his head on Kiara's shoulder and whispered calmly into her ear, "What your mother said was right. We need to talk to Vitani about this. She'll know what to do."

After Kovu spoke, no conversation occurred between the two lovers for the longest of times. Each one of them rested, their breaths long and slow, as if they were sleeping. But neither of them had their eyes closed. Instead, their pupils remained stationary for moments at a time, staring at the thoughts floating through their own minds. A blink after every few seconds was the only interruption to this blankness.

There was no certain conclusion to the situation now presented before them. It could turn out with the greatest success, or the most terrible disaster, and both Kiara and Kovu knew that. The thought of it scared them speechless.

Well into the night, Kiara could feel Kovu lift his head off her shoulders and cooler air touch her fur where he had lain. Her judgements were slow and her eyes half closed, but it was clear that he had left, for she felt a small strain on her heart. When she opened her eyes wider and glanced around, Kiara saw Kovu sitting not far away, his body turned away from her with his head facing the ground.

"Kovu, what's wrong?" she said, fumbling with her words in her sleepiness.

At first Kovu sighed, then said, "Kiara, don't you think it's about time that we have a youngster running around all of us older lions?"

The words came as a slight shock to Kiara; her mind well awake by now and her ears perked high.

"Kovu, you know we can't-" Kiara said, her words almost catching in her throat, "without daddy's permission. You know how protective he is of me."

Kiara stood up and walked to where Kovu sat and seated herself next to him. He didn't move the slightest bit when she rested her head against his shoulder.

"But Kiara, you know what your mother and I just talked about means, right? It means that you and I might not be together for much longer. If something happens between my pride and yours, and Simba throws us all out, that would probably mean that I'll be gone too. We'll be separated forever, and this time you probably won't be able to escape to find me." Kovu said, sounding as if he was hurt.

From that moment that the words slipped off of Kovu's tongue, Kiara could feel the reality gripping her around the paw, leading her to a place she only knew of in her nightmares. It was true, that this could be the very end for her and Kovu, and this factor left her dumbstruck for a moment. The days she fought to become closer to Kovu, would they all be meaningless? She thought to herself, _And it was only this afternoon we said that we would be together forever..._

But another fact stuck like a thorn in her skin. Painful and difficult, but it might just be the only thing there. They hadn't come to the end just yet. There was still a chance for life, and Kiara would do her best to keep it going.

"Kovu, do you think by having a cub, our situation will get any better?" Kiara asked, more confidently than she had ever done so before, "It will only make it worse for all of us. If we do, daddy will hate you, the cub, and possibly me too. He might even strip us of our inheritance as King and Queen. Then how will we keep our pride together?"

Kiara nuzzled him affectionately and this time he returned it with a lick of his own.

"Don't think I'm saying this because I don't want to live the best of our lives together," Kiara said, "But because I want the best of our life together to be better than that. I want us ti live in peace, and for all eternity. We still have a chance to make things right between our prides. Why not take it instead of just giving up?"

Kovu turned his head to Kiara and stared deep into her eyes. It was as if he could feel her own motivation and was feeding off of it himself. He smiled.

"Well, if we're going to set wrongs right tomorrow, then we'd better be in our full minds. C'mon, we can sleep out here tonight, and we'll be prepared to take whatever challenge is thrown at us tomorrow." Kovu said excitedly. It seemed as if all his doubt had completely vanished into the night, trapped life fireflies in the great dark blue sky, never to return to the earth.

They dropped to a laying position right where they were, side-by-side, and both of them closed their eyes. With such an incredible boost of confidence, it took merely seconds for Kiara and Kovu to drift into the dream world, where everything was perfect.

_A/N: How did you like this chapter? I know, there was absolutely no action whatsoever, and I hope that didn't bore you. Like I said, it wasn't even supposed to be a chapter in the first place. Was the beginning a little bit slow? Should I fix it up a bit?_


	5. Chapter 4: Out on the Savannah

**Chapter 4- Out on the Savannah**

_A/N: EDIT: This chapter has been edited at the end, adding in a part from the previous chapter 5 to allow for a new story direction._

_I'm sorry for the long time that it took to write this chapter. Probably just by looking at the scroll bar...you'll see that it's huge. Almost half the entire story so far! Plus, there were some family issues that needed dealing with, and writing during those times...isn't possible._

_One more thing. This chapter has a slight sexual reference in it that might be inappropriate for some. It's just a comment...but I think it's worth a warning._

The night broke with the silent rising of the golden sun and the rising of a peaceful breeze, which caught the long savannah grass, causing the liquid droplets condensed on the blades to shine like shards of crystal. This morning, unlike many others, was not one with a clear blue sky for miles beyond what the eye could see. Scattered wispy clouds slowly traveled east with the morning breeze, reflecting the same crystal-like brilliance below.

Kiara and Kovu slept together amongst all this beauty. Kiara had shifted so that her back rested against Kovu's soft chest with her head now craned back slightly, resting undisturbed on her mate's long, comfortable mane. Kovu had his upward front leg wrapped around Kiara's chest, just below her own front leg, and his tale had involuntarily tangled his tale with hers.

But despite the appearance of eternal peacefulness, only hours before, when darkness shrouded the entire savannah, comfort was a thing of the past and future, while pain and terror was the only thing a part of the present. Nightmares had littered the once pleasurable dreams and fantasies of the couple that night under the starlight. Their coats were wet with more than just the morning dew, for the sour scent of sweat was easily distinguishable against the crisp morning air.

Kiara's greatest fears were suddenly revealed to her through her nightmares. She had dreamt her father as being what was what she knew Scar had been like. He'd taken Kovu away from her, and forced Kiara to live through a torture of loveless emotions. Kovu dreamt something different, though each still shared the feeling of horror. He was back under the power of Zira, in the Outlands, training to kill a Pridelander. But this time it was Kiara staring back in fear as his claws reached out with the intention to steal life. Eventually, however, the nightmares faded away and happiness soon consumed their minds yet again as the sunlight shone, highlighting their forms.

Silhouetted against the rising sun, a young Pridelander lioness held her head high, her eyes darting along the landscape as if she were looking for something. She gradually came closer to the sleeping couple. As soon as she spotted them laying together in the tall savannah grass, she broke into a run.

When Starlight approached them, she said loudly, poking Kiara, "Princess Kiara, wake up!"

It took a little bit of time, but Starlight was able to wake Kiara from the depths of her dreamworld. Kiara heavily opened her eyes at first to see Starlight's face staring down at her, then stood, Kovu's leg falling painfully to the ground, and stretched each of her legs individually. As a slight breeze rose, Kiara could feel a coolness catch in her moistened fur. She tried shaking it away, then looked back at Starlight, asking with her expression, _what?_

"What about him?" Starlight whispered, pointing her muzzle towards Kovu, who now lay pathetically with his chest now open to the sky; his arms thrown aside when Kiara got up.

Hardly hesitating, Kiara decided to wake Kovu up a little bit differently than usual. With her hind leg, Kiara kicked at Kovu, which hit him harder than intended in the stomach, just beneath his ribs. Kovu awoke, startled, mumbling a jumble of unidentifiable words.

He stood up lazily, nearly losing his footing again, and groaned. His stomach ached with Kiara's kick.

"Sorry," Kiara said apologetically as Kovu's sleepiness slowly faded away.

Kiara and Kovu turned their heads to Starlight, waiting for her to speak.

She did, saying, "Sarabi sent me out to find you two before the sun rose. I've been looking for quite some time now. If we don't hurry, the herds will be at the watering hole before we can get in position to surprise them."

As Starlight quickly jogged away towards, which looked like a small mound of dirt in the distance, the morning sun helping to hide it behind her bright rays of light, Kovu and Kiara comforted the other's nerves through eye communication. They then broke into a slow jog, catching up to Starlight.

"Are the Outlanders ready to leave?" Kiara asked.

"They've been ready ever since I left to find you two." Starlight said, incorporating what seemed to be humor in her voice, "They're all probably sitting in front of Pride Rock beating their tails on the ground impatiently by now. We should hurry."

The trio broke into a sprint and, leaving a heavy trail of dust in their wake across the ocean of cracked soil and low-standing vegetation. The savannah grasses swayed at the lions' quick passage over them.

The group of lionesses standing before Pride Rock , which Kovu and Kiara figured to be the Outlanders, could be seen clearly at their rapid approach. They all seemed to be chatting, as usual, amongst one another, waiting for the arrival of their prince and princess. Three lighter-coated lionesses, which Kiara thought to be her mother, grandmother Sarabi and Sarafina, mother of Nala, were walking between every Outlander, bouncing excitedly on their heels. Simba stood further away, nearly hidden within Pride Rock's shadow, looking in on the group. Zazu, Simba's trusted majordomo bird, perched on his King's shoulders, and Timon and Pumbaa standing closely beside, away from the rock.

When Simba noticed Kovu and Kiara coming, he turned away, heading towards the stone stairs leading to the finger of Pride Rock. Kiara kept her eye on him and saw him laying down on Pride Rock, watching the Outlanders from above, a short time later.

Attention turned to Kovu and Kiara as they came into the vicinity of the Outsider group. Conversation transformed from common friendly chatter to the greeting of their Prince and Princess. Some smiled a greeting to them, who received a smile back, while others voiced or bowed it. Others, such as Jenza, simply drifted to the outskirts of the group, avoiding any unnecessary contact with them.

Even through all the commotion, it was easy for Kovu and Kiara to spot Vitani amongst the crowd. She was one of the lionesses who warmly greeted them with a smile and bow of the head. Kiara and Kovu walked their way over to her, through the crowd that parted for their passage.

"Princess, we are ready for you to guide us." Vitani said, smiling wider than before. "We'll follow at your call."

"Alright," Kiara replied. The excitement she was feeling at the moment bled through her voice and expression, and she was unafraid to express that. Perhaps it was spreading to her from the Outsiders, who seemed overly excited about the tour; almost to the extent that they seemed only like cubs, on their first trip away from Pride Rock. She was sure that Kovu felt the same way, as this would be his first time living the same experiences as they since he left them, to fulfil Zira's plot. To anyone else, his facial expression might seem serious and unexcited, but to Kiara, when she looked into his eyes, she could see his excitement clearly.

Sarabi and Nala, along with four other Pridelander lionesses, rendezvoused with Kovu and Kiara through the crowd. Nala and Sarabi were smiling widely, but the other four lionesses held a neutral expression on their faces.

"Well," Sarabi stated, "it's time to show our friends the layout of their new home."

Kiara nodded.

Nala came closer to Kiara and nuzzled her, through love and a motherly pride of her daughter and the responsibilities she and her mate were undertaking. Responsibilities of a true princess.

"You'll do well out there, Kiara," Nala whispered into her daughter's ear, "I know you already know this; probably even better than I do."

Nala turned her head and looked at everyone around her, who were all looking towards them and said, "These lionesses are different than we are. Through simple observation of them these past couple days, events have proved that fact. They will see things differently than either you or I but, please, don't hate them for it. For what they've grown up with in the past. If you do, you will be damning them to an unbearable life.

"Without you and Kovu, they are lost. You have no idea how difficult it is to live life with no leader and no territory.

"So don't ever forget that we are two families living as one pride. Eventually we will truly merge together as one family but, until then, keep your eye of hatred away from them because of what you may think as wrong."

Kiara smiled, "It's too bad Daddy doesn't think the same way that you do."

Smirking, Nala said, "I tried to convince him to let you and Kovu do this on your own again. He was too stubborn to listen, again. He sent Kara, Torin, Solice, and Valanice, here, with you, like he said he would."

"That's fine." Kovu stated, half-heartedly. "Maybe they'll be able to bond with the Outsiders while we're out, and see that the Outsiders can be trusted."

Kiara could swear that she had heard a grunt from one of the four lionesses standing just behind her mother. She sighed and thought to herself, _This aught to go well._

Kiara said quickly, "We'd better get moving, so that we can get to the watering hole before the herds do."

When Kiara finished, Kovu shouted in a air-vibrating roar, asking everyone to follow Kiara and himself. The group shifted in a flurry of activity, standing up and pressing into a tighter circle near Kovu and Kiara. As the Royal couple started forward, heading east toward the water hole, the entire group moved with them, staying close. The commotion of the group hadn't dropped in intensity as they left but, instead, everything seemed to get louder.

From the finger of Pride Rock, Simba watched as his daughter grew smaller into the distance and disappear over the horizon. The memories of the ambush on the savannah dominated Simba's thoughts. He shivered at the thought of cruelly being attacked by the Outlanders, with Kovu, future ruler of the Pridelands, watching closely. Simba would have shaken of Kovu, a former Outlander, inheriting his position as King, but the present situation worried him even more.

Many of the Outlander lionesses, among those who freely walked at the side of his daughter now, were the ones who struck him down on the savannah, that evening only a short time ago. At that time, they were all intent on killing Simba.

It was unrealistic for Simba to even think of trusting the creatures who had just recently tried to end his reign as King of the Pridelands. He felt brutally offended that Nala and his mother could think that these lionesses could be trusted. As if the fact that they had almost lost their mate/son and King of the Pridelands to the vile claws of the Outlanders didn't matter. The special bond between him and his family felt as if it were shattering into smaller and smaller pieces every time Simba saw either Nala, Kiara or Sarabi put their trust in the Outlanders.

"Zazu." Simba said to his blue-feathered hornbill companion still sitting on his shoulder.

"Sire?" responded Zazu.

Simba demanded, "Keep an eye on them. All of them. If anything happens, come back and tell me immediately."

"But, Sire..." Zazu began, but was interrupted almost immediately by Simba's thundering voice.

"Now! This is their perfect chance to destroy our reign. They have Kiara at their mercy right now, even with the four lionesses I sent to protect her. And maybe something has already happened."

Zazu bowed, and lifted off of his master's shoulder without any protest. He saw no point in trying to argue any further. Flying high into the mid-morning atmosphere, Zazu rose high and almost out of sight. He soon disappeared over the horizon, and Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa were left standing, staring into the distance on the finger of Pride Rock.

"Simba." said the familiar voice of his mate, Nala, who came up behind him. The two older lioness', Sarabi and Sarafina, walked into the sleeping cave, where most of the other Pridelanders still slept, not taking a look back at their child.

"Kovu and Kiara are strong; they can handle it. They will be safe." Nala assured, knowing

exactly what her mate was thinking.

"Is that really what you think?" Simba asked with a tone of impatience ringing on his voice. "Do you honestly believe the Outlanders can change their entire lifestyle after the passing of a mere couple suns? For a good long while, Zira has drilled their minds with teachings of hatred and violence directed towards me. They wouldn't change their opinion towards me so quickly."

Nala replied, "But we can still show them that the Simba they were taught about is not the Simba they see standing atop the mighty Pride Rock. We can prove to them that you are gentle and loving towards the ones that committed crimes against you.

"To show them your forgiveness. What is the harm in that?"

"The harm...is losing everything that we have strived for during our reign as King and Queen, and the goals of rulers before us. We would be jeopardizing everything if we welcome the Outsiders into our home." Simba stated. "You don't realize that, after this morning, we might not have a daughter anymore? This is their chance to strike a fatal blow to our reign. If they intend to stop our line from growing, they will end it right now."

Nala was shocked. Her eyes spread wider than they would normally, and jaw dropped slightly. Her expression then changed to one of light anger and sorrow.

"Or maybe you just can't survive without hating them. You haven't left the past behind you. You just use it to blind yourself from the truth." said Nala, turning-tail and retreating to the sleeping cave.

Simba sighed, and looked back longingly at his lovely Nala, who was leaving him. Nothing felt better than her presence, and that is why he felt so terrible when he gazed upon that look in her eyes; a pity for him. Could she not see that it wasn't possible for him to love the Outlanders?

Again, Simba sighed, but then walked over to the entrance of the sleeping cave and listened. He was sure that he could hear sobbing coming from within, and he was sure that it was Nala. The sense of going in to comfort his mate and telling her that everything was going to be alright pulled hard at Simba's heart, but he knew that he couldn't. He felt as if his heart was being pulled down, melting into the rock beneath his feet.

He also heard another voice from inside, "Is everything alright, Queen Nala?"

Simba couldn't stand it anymore. He left, for he know that the sad voice and soft pouts of his mate would drive him into insanity.

The volume of the Outsider group had not dulled as Pride Rock faded into the distance, behind them. They held the same excitement that Kiara had sensed from the time they swore allegiance to her mother and father.

The only factor that held Kiara back from expressing her excitement and smiling along with everyone else was having one of the four Pridelander lionesses always keeping a close watch on her every move. Within her mind, Kiara questioned every one of her actions, and felt shy to do most of them. And so she just walked, not doing or saying anything, and let Kovu lead the group.

Kovu seemed not to have any trouble interacting with everyone else, unlike his mate. He was chatting and smiling, and getting laughs in return.

"Just like old times, right Kovu?" said one of the Outlanders, laughing, and who was only a couple years older than her Prince, "The two of you were always clinging to one another, even as cubs."

"Well..." Kovu started, but another lioness jumoed in on the conversation, rather unexpectedly.

"What could you expect? Zira had declared the two of them to be mates from the very moment our Prince here was born. They were betrothed, even before they had the chance to say anything about it themselves. And not to say that the two of you were the perfect match. You two were made for one another."

"She's right," the first lioness commented, "Neither of you would've been whole without one another. It was as if the two of you were one."

Kiara opened her ears to the conversation, but said nothing.

The second lioness spoke with a smile, "It's a wonder that you ever let her go. The two of you had so much 'fun' together, especially when you two slipped into adolescence. I was wondering if the two of you would have any chest fur left in a couple of weeks, you two nuzzled one another so passionately whenever you saw each other, between your training."

"She was nice, but now I found..." Kovu was interrupted again.

The first lioness laughed as she said, "Well, I'm sure that Kiara gets a lot more than that, seeing as the two of you are officially "mates"."

She paused and smiled awkwardly, but jokingly, "Hey, Kovu, will we be expecting another heir to the throne soon?"

When Kiara heard the comment that the first lioness had said, she froze with shock and stumbled with her feet. She then stepped back in embarrassment, out of earshot from Kovu and the others.

However, Kovu seemed to notice her leave, and turned to see Kiara drift further into the crowd of lionesses.

"Teya..." Kovu said, both as an accusation and a warning.

Kovu then left Teya and the other lioness, to join his mate, who walked with her eyes looking down at the ground. Using the bridge of his nose, Kovu nuzzled Kiara gently as they walked. He then used his muzzle to lift hers so that she looked straight; directly into Kovu's emerald eyes, which glinted with his burning passion of admiration and sense of protection.

"What is it?" Kovu asked.

Kiara spoke, but avoided looking directly into her mate's eyes, "It's just that..."

She took a pause, pondering her words.

"...that the Pridelanders never talked openly about their sexual relationships like that.".

Kovu muttered, just loudly enough so that Kiara could hear what he said, yet still masked from other ears by the loud chatter, "I'm sorry that what Teya said offended you. Neither I nor her knew it would bring hurt to you."

Kovu nuzzled Kiara once again, to comfort her and to give meaning to his words.

A grin spread on Kiara's face when she remarked, "I guess that there are still a lot of things we still need to discover about one another."

An awkward silence passed, while Kiara and Kovu continued walking together, shoulder against shoulder, and legs moving in almost perfect unison. It was almost as if their bodies merged into a single being, though their minds functioning individually.

"But when they say things like that, though, it means that they accept the two of us being together. There is always some seriousness behind their jokes." Kovu said, smiling.

At this time, Teya came to join them. It looked as if she was simply approaching casually, but her shaking voice clearly expressed her concern and worry.

"Princess Kiara, I'm sorry if I offended you. I just..." Teya stumbled with her words, "I just wanted to strike a conversation with you and Kovu. I really didn't mean to hurt you.

"If there's anything you want me to do-anything- to make this up to you, just name it, and I will do it. I never meant to hurt you."

"No, no, it's alright," Kiara said, lifting her gaze to the bodies of lionesses walking ahead of her, "You don't need to do anything. I know that you never meant any harm."

"You know, if we find any prey at the watering hole this morning, I could..." Teya started before being interrupted.

Kiara stated, with sincerity empowering her voice, "I'm serious, Teya. I forgive you for what just happened."

Teya didn't respond for a short amount of time. It was as if she was gathering her thoughts.

Teya said quietly, "You really are serious."

She paused again, momentarily, before speaking again, "Zira would never have let any of us off with such kindness that you've shown us now. She would likely demand a punishment for anyone who offends her, even ones from her immediate family. Like Nuka, Kovu's brother, or even Kovu himself.

"I used to wonder why Kovu would ever switch sides to join with you. We considered you all to be part of a selfish and hateful pride, who would do anything to hurt us. Now, I can truly see through Zira's lies and discover the truth of your kindness for myself. Great leaders care for their people, and that is exactly what you're doing.

And for that, I will forever be greatful."

Teya looked Kiara deeply in the eyes, and they both smiled at one another. After this, Teya left Kiara and Kovu alone, moving forward and beginning a conversation with Jenza and her small group not too far ahead. Kovu approached where Teya had been standing next to Kiara.

"You were right, Kovu. She really didn't know that she was hurting me." Kiara stated in a higher spirit.

"See? Aren't I always right?" Kovu toyed.

"Hardly."

"When haven't I been right?"

Kiara snickered before saying, "You've been wrong almost your entire life. That is, until you came to join us at Pride Rock."

Not being offended, but going along with the joke, Kovu said, "Hey, that's not fair! How was I supposed to know?"

"Well, we did meet when we were only cubs. I'll never forget that day. You could have come home with me then. Did you not get the notion that I really liked you?" Kiara said warmly, cuddling up close to Kovu and brushing her muzzle through his mane.

"Oh yea, I could tell that you liked me. I felt kind of awkward, really. Until that time I hadn't know of true love. Just through that one afternoon with you as a cub, the adoration you showed me could have lasted my entire childhood. Too bad Zira stripped that all away from me."

"I'm sorry," Kiara said, still smiling.

"Hey, it all turned out for the better. Now I get to spend every day of my life with you, in that adoration I felt as a cub."

One of the Pridelander lionesses shouted from the front of the crowd, "Hey Kiara, we can see the watering hole. What do you want to do?"

Kiara was completely at a loss to lead this group and so looked to Kovu for help.

"Do you see anything at the watering hole?" Kovu shouted back.

Instead of an Pridelander shouting back, it was an Outlander answering, "It's hard to tell from here. There's a little bit of a dust cloud between us and the watering hole. From the looks of things, there's just a colony of field mice refreshing themselves."

Kovu moved forward and glanced at the nearest trees that spread shade across the calm waters of the watering hole. Kovu was surprised to see that the shadows were still long. Dark, towering prints, giving heavy contrast against the glistening water. They must have made good time crossing the savannah..

He also stood and felt the breeze rustle his fur. The winds were blowing peacefully at his back, whispering a soft ballad in his ear. Dust also blew up, forming in small clouds.

"Alright" Kovu replied, "Everyone, take a short drink and find shelter in the shadows on the other side of the watering hole. Don't take too long. We need to be well hidden before any of the larger herds come by for water."

At Kovu's command, the pride dispersed into small groups all around the small pond of water. They all lapped their tongues, finding the moisture that would revitalize their dust-parched throats.

Kiara walked up next to Kovu, brushing her head into his mane.

"Hopefully the dust rises a little more when the herds arrive. I want our movements to be concealed as much as possible. It's not as if we're hosting a small hunting party here." Kovu sighed.

Kiara smiled and replied, "We'll be fine. Join me for a drink, and we can worry about setting up the pride for hunting later."

Kovu and Kiara walked up to the watering hole, and gazed down into it with lustful eyes. What stared back at them was a depth of brown, opaque water with only a faint reflection of their faces. The loose dirt and settling dust gave the water a grimy, unpleasant visage. However, what coated the waters a few feet away was purely bliss. The water glistened with a golden finish, from the rays of the mid-morning sun.

To satisfy, the couple only took a few sips of the murky liquid. They then walked along the watering hole's shore, with their paws skidding across the calm, cool surface of the water. They joined many of the other lionesses who had congregated in the shadows on the opposite side of the watering hole, downwind.

"Okay, everyone," Kovu said, getting the lioness' attention. The remaining other lionesses at the watering hole were now coming within earshot of Kovu,

"Try and find the best cover you can. Near or far, it doesn't matter. We have a big enough group to handle both flanks with ease. The front lines will try and take down as many of the prey as possible, while the back flanks run forward in two arches to trap and bring down any stragglers."

Kiara added with a powerful voice, something Kovu wasn't familiar with, "Get into position."

As the morning drifted further towards midday, with the sun climbing higher in the sky, to its zenith, the lionesses waited. The rising winds had granted Kovu's wish, and had given his group a thicker cloud of dust to maneuver in. The sharper breeze would certainly help disguise them from their prey.

To pass the time, many of the lionesses scratched in the cracked dirt with their claws. Unlike earlier, the group was almost completely silent. The only sounds they made were the shifting of bodies to a more comfortable position.

Kiara was one of the lionesses that did this more frequently than anyone else, more out of nervousness than lack of comfort or anxiety. She knew that her hunting skills were still rusty and that her performance, in front of her new pride mates, would most definitely be poor. However, she didn't lose confidence in herself and focused on her goal; cooperation with her pride and collecting enough food for everyone here and back at Pride Rock.

Because Kiara shifted her gaze from one place to another; from the horizon to the zenith of the sky. This was how Kiara noticed the bird circling high in the sky, moving round and round like a shadowy specter just waiting for the prime and most devastating opportunity to steal your soul. However, it flew away shortly afterwards, as if it caught a glimpse of a predator and fled before the predator scented it on the rising thermals.

The morning was drifting on slowly and much of the moisture from the morning dew had evaporated. The clouds of dust hovering around the watering hole was slowly beginning to thicken, and now their vision was slightly obscured.

The sound of hooves beating against solid ground could faintly be heard approaching in the distance. Though the animals couldn't yet be seen, the pride of lions hidden among the bushes understood that they were coming closer, through the rising volume of the hoofs.

Out of the corner of her eye-to the left side-Kiara saw something stir among the dust clouds. She looked to see, faintly, the figure of another lion crouching at a distance away-carefully watching Kovu and Kiara. When she realized that this lion was a male, with a dark mane-nearly black- and a moderate tone for body colour, she thought that it looked like someone she knew.

"Kovu...?" She asked herself in a confused whisper, "Is that you? Why are you over there?"

A voice speaking boldly shattered her thought, and this voice she knew could only belong to Kovu, "Everyone get ready. Wait for my call...we'll catch them with their heads stuck by their own gaze looking back stupidly at themselves in the water."

Kiara looked over to where Kovu was preparing to lunge forward. Who she had seen couldn't have been Kovu. When she looked back, all she saw was a heavy cloud of dust and a back leg, looking tense from pain.

"Now!" Kovu shouted gruffly.

The command caught Kiara off-guard, and she wasn't prepared to spring out of her hiding place and strike an assault against her prey. She struggled in beginning her dash, and stumbled as she pushed through the tangled branches that had hidden her. Fortunately for Kiara, she was near the center of the formation. The lionesses on the outside were beginning their run, and spreading wider to cover a further area. The center moved in afterwards, and would strike.

As she caught up with the center group, Kiara noticed that Jenza, Teya, and Florence, one of the Pridelanders that came with them, were with her. When she got into the formation, Jenza was running a few strides ahead of Kiara, while Teya was running a few strides behind. Florence was running beside her, a ways to the right.

They were all rapidly approaching the small antelope herd, with the wind blowing calmly in their faces. It was clear that the antelope had become alert of their presence, because nearly every one was frantically trying to scramble into a retreat. However, the outside of the formation was already coming upon the herd. It wasn't soon before four of the weaker antelope were forced away from the rest of the herd, and guided into the claws of the inner lionesses.

Now the herded antelope were running in a panic towards the four inner lionesses, who were, all but Kiara, crouching down lower to the ground to pounce their opponent as they neared. Suddenly, confusion overtook the four antelope, and they halted to a stop, swinging their antlered heads from side to side for something. They turned-tail and began running in the opposite direction. Never did they find that something because, before they could, the lionesses were already making their lunge towards the antelopes' soft necks.

Kiara, however, had no real idea of how to kill her target, let alone pounce and bring it down. While the others were lunging towards their prey, Kiara was still trying to think of what to do. She swung her head to the left quickly, trying to understand the procedure by watching Teya cling onto her prey and shift her weight, taking it down. But in the split second Kiara diverted her attention to Teya, the antelope she was intending to kill sprang away from her reach, running to the right. Hurriedly, Kiara dashed after it.

Kiara tirelessly pursued her prey, clumsily swerving in the dust of its path. Her footwork was clumsy and sloppy. When she suddenly changed direction, Kiara unevenly distributed her weight on one of her legs. This caused her to stumble and lose valuable speed. Her inexperience in hunting made it so that she could hardly keep pace.

Fortunately for Kiara, the antelope wasn't very intelligent, and turned back in the direction where the group had gathered-around the three dying antelope- and ran, scared. This was the moment when one of the Outlanders saw her opportunity to help. Teya dashed forward, breaking formation with the others, circling around to the right slightly, then charged straight towards the panicking antelope. The antelope Teya had brought down attempted to get up and run, but the wound in her neck was deep and had drained nearly all of her strength, and so stumbled back to the ground.

It was too late when the antelope realized that it was being attacked from both the front and the back, for it was blinded in its own fear, and only concerned about dashing away from the initial danger. Still, it tried turning away from Teya, but she was already lowering her stance, preparing to leap.

And so she did, when the antelope ran close to her, aiming her claws around the soft, vulnerable area that made up its exposed neck. Her propulsion was powerful, and her follow-through of the jump almost perfectly executed. Teya was easily able to grasp onto the antelope's body by clawing deep into its flesh and, using the shoulder blade as a grip, managed to hold on as the antelope swerved in every direction.

As soon as she could clearly see the tenderest part of the neck, when the antelope carelessly turned its head to the side on which Teya held, Teya shifted her weight forward and grasped its neck in her jaws. Her teeth easily penetrated the soft skin, and almost instantly she could taste the sweet blood dripping from the wound and slipping down her throat. Teya then thrust her neck back viciously, and tore through the flesh and muscle running up and down the antelope's neck. With this thrust, Teya was able to tear through the wind pipe, and the valuable life-sustaining air could no longer pass into the prey's lungs.

Once the antelope started losing its footing not long afterwards, all due to panic, pain and lack of mental stability, Teya detached herself from her prey and dropped to the ground. Teya's weight no longer followed with the weight of the antelope, but instead opposed it. Like a hyena running into a tree, the antelope stopped dead in its tracks. The two of them skid for several meters, then came to a stop.

Though a thick cloud of dust had risen around the prey and the predator, Teya could tell that the antelope was still barely alive. She felt the weak resistance that it made, with several kicks with its feet and thrusts of its neck. Nothing it did was strong enough to break from Teya's grip and, in the last few breaths that it took, the antelope knew that the final moments of its life had come to pass. It gave up its futile attempts to escape and lay motionless, wishing for the pain to finally end in death. Even when its heart stopped beating, the blood kept flowing from the deep wound in its neck.

All this time, from the chase to the take-down, Kiara watched from her position not far away from the battle scene. She stood in awe, observing and doing her best to analyze the method Teya used to bring down the prey. The procedure she executed was nearly flawless, from Kiara's point of view. Teya was efficient in not wasting any energy, and yet managed to take her prey down without any problems. Kiara wished that she could've done it just as well as Teya had.

Kiara stepped forward, and ran over to where Teya had made the kill. Everyone else stayed back, circling around the other two carcasses. As Kiara ran through the tall grasses of the savannah, she directed her gaze upwards and noticed the scavengers gathering in the skies. Three ravens had already begun circling above the group of lions, and a fourth was just coming in from the south.

Kiara slowed her pace as she came up to Teya and said, eyes staring down at the ground in embarrassment, "Thanks, for the help."

"Not a problem. I still had to do something as a repayment for earlier." Teya said, lifting her bloodied face from the carcass to look at the face of her Princess. She licked the blood that stained her fur from the front of her muzzle before speaking again. "Why don't you grab a bite to eat before everyone else gets here. You did your best today, and you deserve it."

The Pridelander Princess turned her head slightly turned her head slightly to observe part of the group comfortably jogging towards her and Teya before digging into her meal. From what she could see, there were only several lionesses, including Kovu, leading at the front, while others had their maws stuffed in the warm, bloody meat of the pair of antelope they were all gathered around. Still others, impatiently, were waiting for their share of the food.

Once she saw Kovu smile at her from a distance, Kiara smiled back warmly, then dropped her head to the carcass and started tearing apart the skin of her prey to expose the valuable muscle meat much deeper within. With every mark she made in the body, blood spilled, dripping around the body and staining the soil and short grass below.

"Kiara!" shouted a voice from behind Kiara, which made her startle and drop the strip of meat she had been carefully chewing. To her surprise, it wasn't Kovu speaking in his gentle, soothing voice, but that of a familiar Outlander, of which sounded the tone of aggression and mockery. When she looked up from the carcass and turned around, she saw that Jenza was the one who had called her name. Kovu had turned around, at the call of Kiara's four bodyguards who were still at the pair of hunted antelope.

"I'm sure that one such as yourself, with your stature, could have made such a..." Jenza whispered into Kiara's ear as she stopped mere inches away, pulling the left side of her mouth into a smile of mockery. "vital mistake. It couldn't be out of inexperience, could it? A ruler needs to provide for her pride. If she can't do that, then just how good of a ruler can she be?"

Raising her voice to more than just a whisper, she continued, "Let me give you some advice, Princess. If you're going to be any good...at hunting, you might just want to learn how to do it before actually performing in front of a crowd."

Jenza laughed, muffled slightly by her hard breathing, which made it sound more like a cackle. As she passed Kiara to the right, Jenza intentionally bumped into her before stepping over the dead antelope and Kiara stumbled for a few small steps. It was clear that some sort of awkward caw had sounded up above, in the air. Kiara snapped her head upward, and figured that it was just a raven impatient for its chance to scavenge the carcass.

"Jenza, what was that?" demanded Teya, who had watched from just across the carcass as Jenza walked by.

Jenza glared at Teya as she continued to walk. "Oh, I'm sorry. I just...stumbled. I should really be ashamed of myself, being so uncoordinated. It's just pathetic.

As Jenza disappeared among the bodies of the many lionesses who had now gathered, Kiara sighed. She now realized that the biggest obstacle of completely merging the Pridelanders and the Outlanders as a single pride wasn't her father's mistrust, but Jenza. Kiara could sense a stubborn loyalty that she held onto for her former pride. This bond would certainly be difficult to break.

Kovu came up quietly beside Kovu, as the rest of the lionesses gathered, some of them dragging the limbs which still held meat that the Pridelanders would be feasting upon. "We should probably be heading out again. I suggest we circle out a little further and visit Rafiki on our way back."

"Good idea," Kiara said, looking to the left at the towering tree standing a fair distance away, but still clearly visible above the shorter vegetation of the savannah, "let's get started."

"Everyone, we're heading out again!" Kovu bellowed, over the gradually increasing volume of the chit-chatter of everyone else. Almost every lioness was able to pin-point Kovu by following their ears, and adjusted their bodies to be parallel with his. They all began marching onward.

* * *

The trip back to Pride Rock was long as the group arched out towards Rafiki's tree, and so far much less interesting than the trip up. Chatter was quiet, and scattered with only half-hearted questions and even less enthusiastic answers. All the lionesses were satisfied with their breakfast, and most simply felt like spreading their bodies beneath a giant umbrella tree, and doze off in its shade.

The rapidly increasing temperature certainly wasn't leading the mood in a positive direction, either. The sun had been above the horizon for quite some time now and, even though it was only a little past a quarter up in the sky, began baking the exposed rock and soil. Still in these conditions, three Pridelander lionesses patrolled around everyone else, and the last stuck near to Kiara. They must have noticed the incident between Kiara and Jenza, because the security of the Princess seemed to be even more tight than before.

Among all the lionesses, Kiara and Kovu were the only two to hold a proper conversation.

Quietly whispered into her ear, Kovu said, "Kiara, you did fairly well out there just now."

"Kovu, a hyena could have run straighter than I did." Kiara grinned, glancing over to Kovu's eyes and, seeing blankness, turned away immediately. "Simply put: All I managed to do was embarrass myself in front of the whole pride."

Kovu hesitated for a minute, letting his words pass through his mind before his mouth. Everything he would have said would likely have discouraged Kiara, he knew. After a short pause, he managed to huff out, "Well, we didn't really have much time to practice your hunting skills before I was framed and exiled. Now that everything seems to be settling down, maybe we can finish what we started."

Hearing these carefully chosen words, Kiara smiled. Those few moments that she had lost hope had vanished, and that familiar joyous bounce returned to her strut.

She laughed lightly, "I'll need it."

_A/N: Well, after a long, drawn-out chapter, it's all over again. I decided to break this one up and end it here simply because it was getting too long. _

_Well, hope you enjoyed it despite its lengthiness!_


	6. Chapter 5: Inner Feelings

**Chapter 5**-**Inner Feelings**

Kiara dragged her feet along the cracked soil, desperately trying to hang onto the thought of cooling off in the shade beneath Pride Rock, which was only just coming into view. The temperature had climbed from hot to unbearable by mid morning, marking one of the most excruciating days Kiara had ever experienced out on the savannah. From time to time, she glanced up at the sky in hopes of finding a cloud that would offer even a second of shade. So far, none had come.

All around her, the rest of the group was just as visibly exhausted as she. There was no way the group would reach Pride Rock without a good rest.

Kiara glanced over to Kovu, who could hardly keep his own head held high. "Kovu, we can't go on like this. We need a break."

Kovu looked over to his mate slowly, and gave a slight nod to acknowledge that he'd heard her. With a smile, It was clear in his expression that the idea had been gratefully accepted. Now stopped, Kovu turned around and waited for the group to gather more closely before speaking.

With a tired yet powerful voice, Kovu addressed the crowd, "Good news! We're going to take a break!"

"Rafiki's tree is just west of here. We can spend the rest of the morning cooling off and head out again for Pride Rock around midday. Sound good?" Kiara suggested, shouldering up next to Kovu with a new spark of energy.

The group seemed to sigh with relief in unison, and chatter arose once more. They seemed to welcome the idea just as much as Kovu and Kiara had.

Traveling with a quicker pace, the group continued forward but with a heading slightly more to the west where the silhouette of a giant umbrella tree could already be seen. The heat seemed to be much more bearable now that the prospect of cool, comfortable shade was foreseeable in the near future.

Once the group reached the tree, the threshold between its shade and the sunny savannah was willingly crossed. Kiara and Kovu navigated to a spot near the giant trunk of the tree, while everyone else scattered about in no particular order. Kiara spread lazily over the ground, lusting for its chill to cool down her overheated body. Kovu, being far more concerned about the group's safety, didn't allow him such a luxury. Instead of lazing about, he kept himself far more alert.

"Welcome, friends, welcome!" A voice called from the lower branches of the tree. Its owner jumped down and landed a foot or two from the Royal pair, startling Kovu. "Rafiki bids you his fondest greeting."

Everyone suddenly went silent at the arrival of this newcomer, whom was a stranger to most. With all the attention focused upon the strange baboon, anything new to happen would surely go unnoticed. That was why, as the conversation between Kiara and Rafiki went on, nobody noticed another lion had slipped amongst them.

Among the scattered bodies of lazing lionesses, a cub came closer and closer, swerving around everyone with his head snapping in all directions, looking for its mother. It looked completely confused, as it walked in a jagged path. The other lionesses didn't seem to notice him, or even to recognize him as he walked by.

Then, a scene that Kiara would never forget unfolded before her very eyes. The child settled his sights upon someone far-off in the crowd, and a wide smile stretched across his face. The slouch in his legs disappeared, and he now stood tall and still. After the sight registered completely in his mind, he sprinted forward, running carelessly in his happiness. A lioness quickly emerged from the crowd-one that Kiara vaguely knew from seeing her around once in a while- and pressed her head against the cub's, smiling just as wide as he.

A mist of emotion seemed to settle around the two of them and, as Kiara watched, she could feel it spreading. Her eyes were welling up with soft tears. When the mother of this child lifted her paw and gently placed it on her sons back, slowly caressing his fur, Kiara felt those tears fall. A reunion of dramatic proportions.

The two didn't break their embrace for what seemed to be the rekindling of a long-lost relationship. Kiara was so engaged in this event to have noticed that Vitani caught sight of it as well, and stood to slowly walk towards them. Vitani stopped at a distance, beside Kovu, and watched. At the same time, however, Jenza came closer, though hidden by the many bodies around.

Vitani spoke softly after a moment. "Nae?"

The glare Vitani received from the mother was neither piercing nor entirely appreciative. "Oh, Vitani, it's you." Nae said kindly, loosening her gaze and smiling. "I'm sorry. You remember Cheigan, don't you?"

"How could I ever forget?" Vitani commented, smiling and bounding forward to them. "Does he remember me?"

Nae craned her neck downward and whispered into her son's ear. Shyly, the cub diverted his gaze from his mother and deep into the eyes of Vitani. Warily, he advanced, staring up and down her figure.

"Princess Vitani?" he asked quietly, keeping himself from looking directly into her eyes.

Vitani sighed. "No, not Princess. Not anymore. Just Vitani is fine now. If you want to know who your Princess is now, just look over there. Princess Kiara, Kovu's mate."

Vitani pointed her muzzle towards Kiara and Kovu, and noticed Kiara staring directly at them. Kiara didn't try to scramble to make it look as if she wasn't at all interested, but stood and walked towards the cub sympathetically. Kovu, too, glanced from a distance, questioning the appearance of their new visitor.

"Hello, little one. What's your name?" Kiara asked gently, trying her best not to scare him. It didn't work.

The cub stared up at Kiara just as nervously as he did at Vitani, and even took a small step back. "I'm Cheigan. Nae is my...mother."

"It's alright, Cheigan," Nae comforted, coming up beside her son, brushing up against him with her leg. " Kiara's a Pridelander, there's no more Zira. I'll have to tell you all about that when we settle in for the evening back at Pride Rock, our new home."

Cheigan nodded, and snuggled up close to his mother and rested. Nae, with the instinct of a good mother, shifted her body and began licking his face clean. His fur was matted with dried dirt, which she struggled to remove without pulling too hard on his fur.

From a fair distance away, almost forgotten near to where Kovu sat,, Rafiki rose his voice. "A fine lad. He will be strong, and a great asset to our pride. His life, is valuable. His heart, is pure. His mind, is considerate. He would make a fine King, if the need ever arose."

Jenza grunted loudly, clearly stating her opinion. Just as before, she moved away from the group to sit alone. Everyone watched as she departed in her unkindly manner, Vitani and Coigne both shaking their heads.

Jenza's reaction caused a silence to settle amongst the few sitting around Nae and her son. Rafiki was the only one to gaze after the proud lioness with an eyebrow raised in interest.

Sighing, Kovu stood up and shouted. "C'mon, everyone, we should probably be getting back to Pride Rock before it gets any hotter than it already is."

Kovu was right. The sun was nearly reaching its zenith in the middle of the sky above, and even among the shade the heat was beginning to sizzle through the air. Just like most summer days in the Pridelands, it was going to be another hot afternoon. Not to mention the fact that the other Pridelander lionesses were probably starving by now.

The entire group stood to head off, except one. Chatter wasn't as loud as it had been in the morning, and completely faded away when the lionesses shrunk in the distance. Jenza remained under the shade of the tree, seated and watching the western skies. She felt a longing pulling her from that direction; from the elephant graveyard that had acted as her playground during her childhood, and years beyond.

What came after this feeling was another emotion. Anger. She didn't feel guilt in betraying her leader, but anger towards the people that stole her from her and Zira's goals. She didn't feel resentment for being in the Pridelands, but for being under the command of rulers they were meant to overthrow and live simply as Outlanders, no longer exiled.

But most of all, she felt the detachment of the robbed. A treasure had been stolen from her, that she knew she could never get back, and it left her completely heartbroken. All the memories of her homeland brought back this pain, as it was the very thing she lived and strived for throughout her life. And now, being here in the Pridelands, is the very reason it had been taken away.

"Jealousy is strong within one of a shattered heart." spoke a soft, knowledgeable voice. Rafiki had come up behind her unnoticed from the monstrous branches of his umbrella tree.

Jenza's thoughts vanished, and she growled, glancing angrily up at Rafiki. "What do you know of my life, you old baboon!"

The truth finally settled into Jenza's mind, and her jealousy dominated all her other emotions. The fire raged inside. She spoke no other words, turning away sharply and heading out in the opposite direction of Pride Rock. Rafiki watched from his branch, seeing her cross over the horizon, never altering her direction.

Rafiki whispered to himself, turning and walking down towards the trunk of the tree. "If ever she comes back, she should be watched. She could be the fangs cutting through the throat of an antelope. It would be best to keep her in the reach of our paws, or we could lose our grip on her..."


End file.
